farmstand

Fall at the farm stand

Corn maze, other activities create fall fun at Pearce’s

By Jennifer Eisenbart

STAFF WRITER

Pearce’s Farm Stand has always strived to stay a family friendly place.

At no other time during the year is it more apparent than in the fall.

It’s the time of the year the business offers a popular corn maze. The maze is in its sixth year, offering about 12 acres of maze to explore.

There are two “phases” to the maze, both self-contained. The smaller of the two, phase one, is designed to give people a taste of a corn maze without having to walk the whole 12 acres.

The second phase takes a walk on the wild side of American farming, with twists and turns through corn, a jack-o-lantern, a barn, a windmill and more.

“We want it to be family friendly,” said Karen Pearce, one of the many family employees at Pearce’s. “We don’t want it to be overwhelming, with families thinking they have to do the whole 12 acres.

“By having it in two phases, it includes everybody,” she added.

The maze started in 2016, with a theme of “Vote!” Pictures of the two presidential

Pearce’s Farm Stand, located at W 5740 N. Walworth Rd., Walworth, offers a large variety of family fun and an annual corn maze at affordable prices. top: Children climb on the jumping bales, one of the free attractions at the farm stand. above: The entrance to the corn maze, which offers two different routes and covers about 12 acres.

JENNIFER EISENBART Spirit of Geneva Lakes

candidates that year were designed into the maze.

The family meets each year to decide on a theme. This year, it is the American farmer. Last year, the maze honored emergency responders such as EMTs and firefighters.

“We maybe try to make it relevant to something going on,” Pearce explained.

The cost for a wristband to walk the maze is $8 for adults and $6 for kids, with no time limit. There are rules, though, like

no running and keeping to the path (i.e., no cutting through the corn “walls” of the maze).

But there is more. The farm stand offers a huge variety of free events on site for families as well. There is live music every weekend, plus children’s slides, the “jumping bails” – a miniature maze made out of hay bales – and a lookout post, plus a human hamster wheel and other fun games.

“People call it their happy place,” Pearce said.

The whole area evolved, Pearce said, out of the desire to start something fun for families in the fall. “There was a need in our area for activities in the fall for families to do,” said Pearce, adding that the business used to do a haunted hayride but has dropped that in recent years.

Pearce’s also offers a large variety of fall farm specialties, including but not limited to homemade caramel sauce, apples, caramel apples, cookies, donuts and, of course, pumpkins.

top left: A family pauses for a photo at one of the 10 “photo ops” in the maze. at left: A family puts on their wristbands before entering the corn maze. top: There are a few rules for the corn maze, shown here.

JENNIFER EISENBART Spirit of Geneva Lakes

“A huge majority of people are related,” “Not necessarily Pearce family, but maybe cousins or aunts or uncles.

There is also a kitchen that serves fresh food and drinks. “I think they can come there and enjoy the jumping bales and the live music and get a sandwich for a reasonable price,” said Pearce.

Wisconsin’s Alice in Dairyland Taylor Schaefer recently made a stop at Pearce’s, and offered her thoughts on the importance of a place like the farm stand.

“For the fall, it’s a really great time for families to get out and experience agriculture,” said Schaefer. “There’s so many things to do for families.

“It’s really a fall family fun time,” she added.

Pearce’s Farm Stand is located at W5740 N. Walworth Rd., Walworth, and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Note that the final admissions to the corn maze stop around 4 or 4:30 p.m. to clear the maze of people before darkness falls.

For more information, go to www.pearcefarms.com.

A family works their way through the corn maze.

JENNIFER EISENBART Spirit of Geneva Lakes